Donehogawa Utonagan

22/10/2025

INDEPENDENT VETS FEELING THE SQUEEZE ON DRUG PRICES

Wonderful Swiss Vet Victoria Unt made a great point the other day - to spare a thought for the small independent vet practices that have none of the purchasing power of the bigger boys.

She has apparently seen bigger players SELLING drugs cheaper than what she can buy them at.

How the hell is that fair?!!

Even worse, I'm just after learning that the new sites popping up selling vet drugs at marginally cheaper prices than you could get at an independent (petdrugsonline, animed, vet uk) are actually owned by the very same drug suppliers, eg IVC & CVS.

Distributors selling direct to the consumer is highly profitable stuff for them (as distriutors get the products the cheapest, cheaper than wholesalers and much cheaper than the stores at the end of the line) but the least they could do is keep those prices the SAME as what that small business needs to sell them at. Rotten.

The small independent hasn't a hope in all this. With dry food purchases plummeting and now drugs to follow suit, vital revenue streams are evaporating. How the hell is an independent expected to compete?

Getting into selling more stuff that the "new" market wants is one call you hear, sure, but it's not without considerable trauma for said clinics. Aside the fact real food necessitates freezers and more space as a whole, a move to more natural food, supplements and meds necessitates considerable re-training. Not easy. Imagine dumping all you know about healthcare and moving to dry and pharma - yeah, virtually impossible!!!

Support local independents when and where you can, folks. Send them an email, tell them you appreciate them. Buy the receptionist some chocs. Tell them about new products that are very "cool" in your world, that they might stock.

I'm going to do my bit too. I'm making my courses on drconorbrady .com free. That's a start. I'm also thinking about doing a monthly drop-in for independent vets, where they can drop in and ask questions about anything our side. A safe, private place to put their questions. I think that might work for them, what you reckon?

22/10/2025

BRAIN UNDER CONSTRUCTION
The challenges of the teenage dog.

There’s a saying that most parents of teenagers can relate to - "Parents of teenagers understand why some animals eat their young!"

The changes that happen in the brain of a teenage dog are not that different to a human teenager.

The brain undergoes a period of "pruning" and "re-wiring". This process can cause some parts not to work, work sporadically or work too much.

To describe it in the simplest of terms -the prefrontal cortex of a teenage brain is at the “back of the queue” in this process. It’s still “under construction” and still developing. This area of the brain is responsible for making “logical” decisions, controlling impulses, learning, remembering, problem solving and social interaction.

Because the prefrontal cortex is being reconstructed, the brain relies more on a part called the amygdala to make choices and react.
The amygdala is involved in the “big feelings” we may see - emotional responses like fight or flight, anxiety, excitement, reactivity, impulse control and instinctive behaviour.

Being aware of the physical changes the teenage brain is going through in the process of maturing, helps us to be more understanding and accepting.

Statistics show that many dogs are surrendered or re homed during the teenage stage as their owners no longer “like” the way their dog behaves, can’t handle them or just give up on them.

Please don’t give up on your teenage dog. We need to manage our expectations and frustrations during this phase.

Understand and acknowledge what is happening in their brain. Help them through this stage with patience, consistency, love and acceptance.

21/10/2025

DON’T FORCE ME TO BE SOCIAL!

It may be really disappointing or frustrating when our dogs are not the social beings we expected them to be.

Many people assume dogs should just naturally get along with other dogs, after all they’re the same species.

Some believe the “unsociable” dog has a behaviour problem that needs to be “fixed”.

Early, appropriately timed and proper socialisation is really important, but sometimes despite all of this, some dogs are just not that sociable or socially selective to varying degrees.

Sometimes this can be improved, especially if the cause is from a negative experience, but genetics, breed tendencies, individual personalities, health and age all contribute to tolerance and sociability, which also change throughout a dog’s lifetime.

If we, as a human species, don’t get along with everyone we meet, how can we expect our dogs to?

Do we label or try to fix every person that has an argument; doesn’t make friends with everyone they meet, dislikes some people, or just prefers not to be social as having a problem that needs to be fixed?

Why is it so easy to accept that every individual person is different than to accept that every individual dog is different?

When we have done what we can to improve our dogs’ social skills, we need to accept and acknowledge our dogs for the individuals they are, allow and respect their choice of whether to be sociable or not and never force interactions that dogs are not comfortable with.

14/10/2025

10/10/2025

🚨 RED ALERT FOLKS. PLEASE, PLEASE READ. 🚨

You know the CMA investigation into the (potential) price gouging of UK pet owners by the veterinary corporates? Something the WORLD'S pets need to see happen?

Well, it looks like they're trying to pull a swift one on us.

To quote the petition initiator, Amy Revill, an INDEPENDENT VET practice owner:Joyce-Jones in The Den on Tuesday, we're just after learning that the CMA intends to only grant access to their unredacted report to a "confidentiality ring" composed of.....guess who?! The six largest veterinary corporate groups that are under investigation.

Can you believe this?!!!

To quote the petition initiator Amy Revill, an INDEPENDENT VET practice owner:

"This decision is pivotal, having profound implications not just for my practice, but for the independent veterinary sector as a whole.

While the officials assure us that this is to ensure a fair assessment and response, the truth is that these conglomerates operate under a fundamentally different business model than independent practices.

Given that independent vets represent 40% of the industry, excluding us from this crucial process constrains our ability to participate effectively in shaping a future that addresses ALL stakeholders' concerns.

Allowing only large corporations to scrutinise and respond to the PDR proposal would skew the outcomes in favour of business practices and concerns unique to their operations while sidelining the nuances and unique contributions of independent establishments.

Such an approach risks a future veterinary landscape dominated by corporate interests at the expense of choice and diversity for both vet professionals and pet owners."

The petition below shines a light on yet more despicable behaviour in the corporate sector.

Who the hell do the CMA think they're working for here?!!

This is a government organisation. It is paid for by the bloody TAXPAYERS.

And we're not allowed see the findings?!!!!!

The CMA mission statement is "Our mission is clear: to promote competition and protect consumers".

To protect CONSUMERS.

Us.

OUR PETS.

Guys, if you want to do something to protect the remaining independent veterinary practices clinging on to life out there, we need to INSIST on equal access to the findings of this crucial document.

Please, you must SIGN AND SHARE this petition. Link in comments.

They CANNOT get away with this.

08/10/2025

REVENUE GENERATING UNITS

From my book Feeding Dogs (and bearing in mind most of these figures are now a decade old...):

"Over the last two decades, Mars has focused their enormous cash reserves on buying up independent veterinary practices, now at a staggering rate. Among their bigger purchases was the US veterinary giant Banfield. With more than 800 hospitals in 43 US states, and over 13,000 associates, including 2,600 licensed veterinarians, Banfield has over two million dogs and half a million cats on the books. In 2015, Mars bought Blue Pearl, adding another 53 speciality veterinary hospitals in the United States to their portfolio. In 2016, they bought Pet Partners and just a year later they made their biggest buy yet, VCA, for a staggering $7.7 billion (750 animal hospitals, 4,700 vets). In June 2018, Mars acquired the European group AniCura (200 hospitals, 4,000 vets) and Linnaeus Group Ltd. in the United Kingdom (82 clinics and five specialist referral centres). The latest investment was into the new and fast-growing Chinese market where Mars is now a partner in the RingPai Pet Hospital group who have 4,000 employees.

The net result is that by mid-2018, including all the buyouts of single veterinary hospital which receive zero column inches, Mars Inc. had more than 50,000 veterinary professionals in their pocket (REF BELOW).

And it's not just Mars Inc. In 2014 a chain of 250 hospitals called National Veterinary Associates was purchased by Ares Management for $920 million. In 2015 the ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan spent $440 million to buy a pet hospital group. last May, VCA spent $344 million for a group of 56 hospitals pooled together by a smaller consolidator for the express purpose of flipping them.

While most of us would find it hard to swallow the notion of a global, multi- billion candy company gaining control of our hospitals, we are not suggesting there is anything inherently wrong with corporate-owned vet hospitals. We need only look at our own privately run human hospitals to see the difference in care these groups can put out (at least in terms of waiting times, possibly more modern equipment and certainly fancier surroundings with better food).

However, there are many reasons why the analogy here to pet sector is a poor one:

First, in human medicine, independent doctors must refer us to private hospitals, though they too suffer industry rep influence. In the pet world, no such filter now exists. By cash-sponsoring universities and governing bodies, sitting on boards where it counts, as well as acquiring our veterinary hospitals and practices, corporations are eroding our one and only line of defence. We have only their employees for advice.

Second, all our private hospitals must deal directly with the insurance companies. Insurance companies excel at controlling medical costs by continually reviewing bills and procedures, as well as thoroughly investigating many of the claims that come to them. In the pet world, bills are smaller and pet owners largely pay cash. Moreover, should insurance be needed, usually the client pays first and negotiates with the insurer themselves for reimbursement, which reduces scrutiny on the hospital setting the bill.

Finally, keeping everyone on their toes, when human doctors make a mistake, the financial implications for the hospital can be dire. With pets, there are no real financial consequences for vets who do wrong. Pets are still treated as property and pay-outs are thus very low, topping out at approximately $1,500 for the death of a pet. This means few, if any, court cases, compounded by the fact, certainly in the UK, that the body consumers much report their issues to, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, not only represents the very vets you are seeking to hold to account, but guess which multinationals cash-fund them?! And if you do want your paltry payout, it invariably requires you to sign an NDA.

Without the sword of Damocles hanging over them, it is perceivable that the C-suite of such groups will take greater risks, push more treatments, maximising profits at any and all opportunity. They are, in fact, legally obliged to their shareholders to do so.

To quote Tom Fuller (REF BELOW), a chief financial officer for Mars, the company’s business strategy is to:
..leverage our existing customer base by increasing the number and intensity of the services... received during each visit...

To facilitate this process, Mars buys up and keeps in-house all diagnostics and laboratory services. The 2017 purchase of VCA (Veterinary Centres of America) gave Mars ownership of ANTECH, the biggest diagnostics laboratory in the uS if not the world. ANTECH’s website informs us that they service more than 19,000 animal hospitals throughout North America, operating more than 50 reference laboratories in the united States and Canada. Diagnostics actually make up 41% of VCA’s operating profit.

Mars Inc.'s "Petware" manual makes for interesting reading. To quote the Bloomberg piece below:

In one example, explaining how the software is used to prescribe treatment, the book shows a checklist of therapies for a dog with atopic dermatitis or itchy skin. Doctors are encouraged to recommend a biopsy, analgesics, topical medications, antibiotics, a therapeutic dietary supplement, an allergy diet, and a flea control package. They’re REQUIRED to recommend antihistamines, shampoos, serum allergy testing, lab work, a skin diagnostic package, and anti-inflammatories. It’s a treatment course that might run $900 for symptoms that, in a best-case scenario, indicate something as prosaic as fleas. In bold print, the manual reminds doctors: “you cannot change items that were initially marked Required. They must remain REQUIRED”.

And to help their vets hit their sales targets, Mars Inc gives them ACTUAL SALES TARGETS to hit in clinic.

Clenfield (2017)6 cites Leticia German, DVM, chief of staff at a Banfield hospital in Colorado from 2010 to 2013, who states those who didn’t meet their "targets" were made to attend "workshops" in order to ‘school them into how to better meet their numbers... it was definitely intimidating.'

So, how have things been going for pet owners over the last ten years of this corporate takeover of our veterinary sector?

Here are some figures to help guide your answer:

In 2005, the US pet drug market in the US was worth an estimated $4.5 billion.

By 2015 it had jumped to $7.0 billion.

And by 2025, just a decade later, Multiple Packaged Facts estimated it had DOUBLED to nearly $15 billion USD.

***

Caveat: Not all corporate-owned clinics are bad. I know some good ones. Yes they buy out the clinic but many want / need the old manager in place, they being the person that made the practice profitable in the first place. As long as they stay in place, hopefully little will change.

REF Clenfield, 2017
www. bloomberg. com/news/features/2017-01-05/when-big-business-happens-to-your-pet

26/09/2025

DISTRACTED DOG WALKERS

The distracted dog walker is commonly seen chatting on their cell phone, wearing headphones or socializing with other people while oblivious to what their dog is doing, how their dog is feeling or what is going on in the environment.

This may not sound like a problem, but it is something that many of us have a problem with, even more so if we have a reactive, sensitive dog.

I always compare walking a dog to driving a car. It’s not so much about our driving skills, but having to constantly be aware of the driving skills of others – trying to predict what they will do, which rules of the road they will ignore and how distracted they are. This is especially true in the country I live in, where driving can be a really stressful experience.

I understand that we often need to multi task – there simply doesn’t seem to be enough time in our day to accomplish everything we need to, but walking our dogs should not be one of these times.

Some may say – “but my dog is really friendly, well socialized, gets on well with everyone, is well trained, knows this environment well etc. and I hear that. But another dog might not be – maybe they need space, are reactive, sensitive, selectively social, have health issues, might be terrified of another dog racing straight towards them chasing a ball thrown from a ball launcher etc.

If distracted dog walkers have no regard for other dogs or other people, they should at least have regard for their own dogs.

Walking your dog should be a time of bonding, of connecting, of seeing the environment through the eyes of your dog, of reinforcing and rewarding wanted behaviours, of keeping them safe and protected.

Our dogs need us to be focused, to pay attention, to be aware and attentive. Our dogs depend on us to advocate for them.

24/09/2025